McKettrick's Choice - Linda Lael Miller [157]
“Say something, Holt,” Rafe prodded gruffly. “Better yet, do something.”
“It’s best for her if I just go.”
“I know you think that, but she might be of another opinion. For God’s sake, at least ask her.”
Frank drew up with the horses. Holt stared toward the house for a few moments, then looked back at Tillie’s grave. “Mount up,” he said. “We’re burning daylight.”
Rafe scowled, snatched Chief’s reins from Frank’s hands, and swung up into the saddle. Frank hesitated, then got on his own horse, a bay gelding bought in town. The two of them waited a moment or two, then rode off.
Holt put his foot in the stirrup, gripped the saddle horn in one hand. Ride away, he thought, and hoisted himself onto Traveler’s back. Lorelei had renamed the gelding Pegasus—said he could fly.
Holt smiled a little as he reined the eager horse toward the road.
Rafe’s words unraveled in his mind. Seems to me, you need to make a choice, here. Ride out, leave a good woman behind, like you did once before and regret it for the rest of your days…
He looked back, saw Lorelei standing on John and Heddy’s front porch, her head high, watching him.
He moved to raise a hand, the only farewell he figured he could manage, then let it drop back to his side. She didn’t move, didn’t call out. She merely looked at him, and from that distance he couldn’t make out her expression.
His throat tightened. Frank and Rafe were probably halfway to Arizona by then, and still he sat there, in the saddle, unable to go in one direction, or the other.
The least he could do was say goodbye.
He rode back.
Lorelei didn’t move, just stood there, gripping the rail of the porch, the wind playing softly in the loose tendrils of dark hair around her face and neck.
“Think you could love a trail boss?” he heard himself ask. Nobody was more surprised by that question than he was.
Her mouth wobbled, and her eyes brimmed with tears. “Yes,” she said.
Holt got down off the horse, approached her, stood just shy of the flower bed, one of the many things Tillie had left behind to mark her passing. He looked up at her. “It’ll be a hard ride, up to Arizona,” he warned quietly.
She broke loose with a shaky smile. “I’m used to that,” she said. “Do you love me, Holt McKettrick?”
He grinned. “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “I believe I do.”
She felt her way along the railing, as though she wasn’t sure she could stand without holding on, then suddenly flew down the steps and hurled herself into his arms.
He laughed out loud, spun her around in a circle of swirling calico skirts, and then kissed her soundly. It was an ordinary kiss, and yet it made something shift inside Holt, a healing, painful shift, like the setting of a broken bone.
“It won’t be easy, being my wife,” he said, when he figured he could speak without making a fool of himself.
“I’m not looking for ‘easy,’” she replied, very softly.
“Good thing,” he told her.
Rafe and Frank were back, looking on with stupid grins on their faces. Heddy and John appeared on the porch, along with Gabe, Melina and their baby boy. The Captain was there, too, holding little John Henry like he was born to play nursemaid.
Lorelei pulled free of Holt, held her arms out for John Henry. The Captain handed him over, with smiling reluctance.
“I’ll get your things,” Heddy told Lorelei, but she was looking straight at Holt. “Got them ready, just in case this hardheaded galoot came to his senses.”
“I’ll saddle up the mule,” Gabe said, and made for the barn.
It happened that fast. One minute, Holt was set to ride out for the Triple M with Rafe and Frank his only companions. The next, he was taking on a woman and a child, and he knew it was for good.
Lorelei linked her arm through his, still holding John Henry. “You’re